Whether in cosmetics, cheese packaging or outdoor jackets – many everyday products contain substances that can upset our bodies. What can be done about it?
We build them into our houses, dress in fabrics that have been treated with them, use cosmetics to which they are added as UV filters, preservatives or cheap fillers. They are also released from plastic packaging or canned goods and thus end up in our food and are sprayed in pesticides on fruits and vegetables.
Almost everyone has a background noise of these substances in the body. According to the Federal Environment Agency, phthalates, bisphenols, parabens and perfluorooctanoic acids were almost always found in the blood and urine of children and young people.
But what exactly does that mean for us? In fact, the range of possible effects is wide. Studies suggest, for example, that environmental hormones disrupt our metabolism in such a way that we store fat more easily and are more likely to develop diabetes. They can damage sperm or eggs, making it harder to have children, and influence women’s bodies to reach puberty earlier and also menopause earlier. Some of the pollutants could increase the risk of cancer in the testicles, ovaries or breast.
Are there connections?
These connections have not been proven for humans, but they are considered sufficiently plausible. So even if it can never be said with absolute certainty that a particular chemical causes a particular disease or disorder, the question remains: How can we avoid these pollutants, at least as far as possible?
Whether it’s an apple from the local orchard or one from South Africa, whether it’s a freshly cooked lunch or one to be warmed up in the microwave, whether it’s homemade pesto made from organic basil or ready-made from a jar – if you pay attention to what you eat, you’re doing a lot right . Organic foods are not treated with potential environmental hormones, they are preferable to conventional ones. This applies in particular to apricots, pears, strawberries, lamb’s lettuce, cherries or kale, which have residues more frequently than other vegetables or fruits. Conventional foods from non-EU countries are also more likely to be contaminated with pollutants, since controls are often not so strict there and chemicals that are prohibited in our country can be used.
The packaging is also important: unpackaged foods are less risky than packaged ones. The PlastX research group, for example, identified more than 1,000 different chemicals in everyday plastic products. Harmful substances were found in around three out of four products examined, such as yoghurt pots or drinking bottles. In a study in which participants were asked to eat canned soup for five days, their blood levels of Bisphenol A (BPA) increased by more than 1,000 percent. Glass cans are better than metal ones.
Are there alternatives?
Of course, unpackaged alternatives would be the best choice, but they’re not easy to come by everywhere. But even in conventional supermarkets you can avoid the most harmful types of plastic with the following rhyme, which refers to the recycling codes of the plastic packaging – these are the triangles made up of three arrows: “4, 5, 1 and 2, all the rest are bad for you .” Important: Take-away boxes can also be contaminated with environmental hormones.
In the case of cosmetics, it helps to check them for questionable ingredients with the “Codecheck” app. Polymers, parabens, benzophenone and triclosan should be avoided. Many controversial ingredients are banned from natural cosmetics. Cleaning agents and detergents can also be checked using the app or – for those who want to invest more time – you can make them yourself from citric acid, baking soda, soda and curd soap.
Environmental hormones can also be found in PVC floor coverings, new sofas or carpets, which are then inhaled. Products in the hardware store or furniture store that have a strong chemical smell, so it is better not to buy them. Anyone who relies on wooden floors or tiles and paints their walls with lime or clay paint can meaningfully reduce pollutants. And in general: Those who buy less new use what they have and repair what is brokennot only protects the environment, but also brings fewer environmental hormones into the house.
disruptive factors
The substances, also known as endocrine disruptors, fool the body into believing that they are hormones – for example through a similar chemical structure. As messenger substances, hormones control many important processes in our bodies. They drive us to eat and drink or control child development. Environmental hormones can amplify, weaken or block such signals and thus disrupt the body’s own messaging system. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are currently around 800 such substances.
Book tip:
In “Environmental hormones – the everyday poison” Katharina Heckendorf summarizes the current knowledge and gives lots of tips that she has tried and tested herself. (240 p., 12 euros, Goldmann)